Seven Deadly Nins
by Niobe Jones
Summary: Seven Shinobi, one Kunoichi. Seven sins. Seven takes. Seven Stories. Ch1: Wrath SasuSaku, Ch2: Gluttony ChoSaku, Ch3: Envy LeeSaku, Ch4: Pride NejiSaku, Ch5:GaaSaku There will be other pairings later.
1. Wrath: Sasuke

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Seven Deadly Nins  
**By Niobe Jones

Wrath

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I told her that I am an avenger. Death and vengeance are my goals. I live to become strong enough to kill my brother. Itachi.

He took everything from me. My family. My security. My self-worth. My life. I will take his in return. It is only fair. It is only just.

The idiot leaders of this village refuse to do anything about it. So I must.

I renounce my ties to this place. They are merely holding me back from my goals. There is a man I need to kill. And nothing will keep me from that. I swore an oath on that day so many years ago and I will carry it through.

I could ignore it while I grew stronger, because I people I cared about. She was one of them. But Itachi returned. And not for me. For the moron, the idiot, the dead-last Naruto. I couldn't live with that. That Naruto was more worthy of attention than I was.

I carry this rage in my heart. Orochimaru will help me – for a price. But I am willing to pay it, if I can defeat Itachi.

I'm sorry, Sakura. But if he hadn't been in stolen my heart first, she might have been enough. I wanted her to be enough. But she will never will be. So I will spare her from my destiny. It is the one thing I can do.

My path is fixed and I will walk it with my eyes open. I will not flinch away from the unthinkable. I will not fail. I do not know if I will return or if I can return.

Itachi will feel my wrath. He will feel my blade cut his skin. He will feel his heart crushed in my fist.

It is only just.

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Note:

This is a going to be a short seven part series about Seven Shinobi and their relationship with Sakura. Some of it will be canon. Some of it will be crack.

I thought it was only fitting that we start with Sakura's canon love. Whether that will change or not later – remains to be seen – and I so hope it changes later.

So let me know what worked for you and what didn't. I adore feedback and C&C. Also feel free to play guess which sin will go with which Ninja. I hope I have some surprises.

Word Count: 300  
Inspiration Music: Disturbed – Ten Thousand Fists in the Air  
Date Started: 4/15/07  
Date Finished: 4/17/07

Up Next: Gluttony

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	2. Gluttony: Chouji

Disclaimer – see first chapter

**Seven Deadly Nins**

By Niobe Jones

Gluttony

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I never thought that my first kiss would come in a hospital bed. Or from her. Or that she would taste like sweet bean paste.

I like sweet bean paste.

I don't like her.

I've never liked her. She's always been shallow only seeing what's on the surface, never seeing underneath the underneath. She only saw him – Sasuke Uchiha.

I don't like him.

I never liked him. He's the kind of guy to eat the last potato chip in front of you. I hate those kinds of people. He only sees himself and never anyone else.

I like sweet bean paste, though. And I wonder if she will kiss me again so I can taste it on her lips once more.

She's leaning over me, one cool hand pressed to my forehead. It feels nice and it smells like warm rice.

I want some rice.

She looks down at me and smiles. "I've never seen you so thin before," she murmurs.

My heart sinks. Here come the fat comments, the heartless mocking. Only Shikamaru really knows how much I hate being called fat. I don't need to hear it from her.

I move to turn away from her and she stops me. "I like you better the way you were before. Chouji-san wouldn't be Chouji-san without a little extra padding."

I blink up at her in shock. Did she just say what I thought I heard her say?

Then, she kisses me again and I conclude I must have heard correctly. It's soft and fleeting. She still tastes like sweet bean paste. I lick my tongue across her lower lip and she pulls away.

I reach my arms up to try to pull her back and she shakes her head. "That was my way of saying 'Thank you.' You deserved it."

I nod and I try to find my voice. "Maybe when I get out of here I can say 'You're Welcome' my way." I try not to let the hope spring up too high.

Sakura smiles at me. "Maybe. But I prefer red bean soup over Korean Barbeque and potato chips."

She didn't say no! I can live with that. Even if she never kisses me again, she didn't say no. I try not to sound too excited when I respond to her. "I think I can manage that. I have a craving for red bean paste for some reason." And I wink at her.

She smiles and winks back. She glances around my hospital room taking in the tray devoid of tasteless institutional food. It's nutritious but it tastes like crap. Not like her lips.

I want to taste them again.

I catch her eye and put on my best lost little boy expression. "Do you think you can get me some potato chips or some dango?" I ask plaintively.

She bends down and rummages in her bag and presents me with a small bag of my favorite potato chips. "Here you go. I figured you would be needing them soon. I don't have any dango, I can see about trying to slip some in the next time I visit."

I nod and take my chips and think about her lips again as she walks out the door.

I really could develop a thing for red bean paste.

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Note:

Yay for Chouji's turn! I've always felt the poor guy got the short end of the stick. Unfortunately for the fans of this pairing, there really isn't going to be any more. I really do think Sakura is too shallow to see the beautiful butterfly that is Chouji. But a fanfic writer can hope that she starts to follow Kakashi's teachings and see underneath the underneath.

Gluttony definitely fits Chouji the best out of all of the Naruto Ninjas so he was an easy guess.

I didn't want to write this in present tense, the last chapter was in past tense, but it fit better. So if you see any tense errors please let me know! I don't have a beta – and I want one – so if anyone is willing . . . Pretty Please! I'll write you something if you do.

Story stats:  
Word Count: 550  
Inspiration Music: Fuel – Bittersweet  
Start date: 4/17/07  
Finish date: 4/17/07

Up next: Envy

Please Review!


	3. Envy: Lee

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

**Seven Deadly Nins**

By Niobe Jones

Envy

------------------------------------

I have always desired what others have.

When I was young and it was discovered I could not use chakra, I remember watching my classmates and feeling jealous. Back then, I did not have Gai-sensei. I only had myself and my taijutsu. It is of no surprise that I graduated last in my class.

I remember when I first met Gai-sensei, he was so magnificent that I wanted become just like him. In his generosity, he has encouraged me. Making me a handsome training outfit and introducing me to his wonderful barber. Gai-sensei has made me into the man I am today. He has made me into a ninja to be respected, not ridiculed. He taught me that through hard work and perseverance I could prevail. And I have, becoming one of the fast ninja alive.

Then why is it that people do not acknowledge my abilities.

Why is it that those who are hailed as geniuses or prodigies get all of the attention?

First it was Neji-san, my eternal rival. The beauty of his genius was apparent, even to me. But the glory and results of all of my hard work were not visible to him. Even with his famed Byakugan.

Then it was others, too many others to name. So I will not.

I glance over at the kunoichi speaking to my sensei and notice my eternal rival watching the exchange with interest.

A raging green beast surges up within me.

She is supposed to be mine. Everything about her screams springtime from her pale pink hair to her snapping green eyes. She is springtime incarnate. And I am the noble warrior who is in the springtime of my youth.

It is the perfect match. If only she would see it that way.

I know she likes me. The pressed daffodil that I keep in a picture frame next to my bed tells me that. But I do not have her heart.

That thief, Uchiha, has stolen it away with him along with some of my hard won moves. I could forgive the theft, if it had not made my beautiful springtime flower wilt so much.

I do my best to persevere. Even though it seems like everyone else gets what I want.

She is what I want. She is perfect. She . . . is walking right towards me.

I concentrate on my training drill – three hundred leg kicks – and not at the kunoichi approaching me. I cannot let her know of my desire. It would not be fair to burden her so.

"Lee-san?" she asks tentatively.

I feel my heart start to pound erratically. She is speaking to me! She is acknowledging me! She is waiting for me to respond. Oops.

I swallow and smile winningly at her. "Two Hundred Sixty Two. Yes, Sakura-san. Two Hundred Sixty Three." I reply, continuing to keep my count. It wouldn't do for me to fail at my drill. If I did, I would be forced to do four hundred one-handed push-ups and I am getting hungry.

She gave me an indecispherable look and asks. "How many more kicks do you need to do?"

"Two Hundred Sixty Six. I must do three hundred, fair flower. Two Hundred Sixty Seven."

Sakura nods and moves to sit under a nearby tree. "I'll wait until you are done, then. I don't want to mess up your training."

I acknowledge her courtesy with another gleaming smile, but decide to concentrate on my kicks. That last one felt like it was lacking.

A few minutes and thirty three kicks later, I sit down next to her and looked at her. She is biting her lower lip, something I find very endearing. "What is it that you wished to ask me, Sakura-san?"

She nibbles at her lip a little longer then looks me in the eye. "Tsunade-shishou wants me to improve my taijutsu as well as my stamina and speed. She suggested that I speak to Gai-san about it."

"That makes perfect sense! Gai-sensei is the best at taijutsu! I can only aspire to be so good. But if that is the case, then why is it you are talking to me?"

"Well, when I talked to Gai-san and told him what I wanted, he said that he thought that you would be a better teacher."

I look up at her sharply, my heart thudding in my chest. Could it be that Gai-sensei is acknowledging my skills as a ninja? Or is it another test? It must be the latter, Gai-sensei has always acknowledged my skills.

I clench my fist. I will not fail you, Gai-sensei!

I realize that Sakura is still speaking and turn my attention back to her.

"… said something about an eternal rivalry with Kakashi-sensei and it not being fair to steal away his students. Or something like that. I had a hard time understanding what he said between all of the ejaculations of hip, youthful, and springtime. So, would you be willing to teach me?"

I reach out and grab her hands, pumping them enthusiastically. "I would be honored to teach Sakura-san! I have always wanted to prove that I could be as good of a teacher as Gai-sensei. But I am curious, why does Hokage-sama want you to study taijutsu?"

Laughing, she gently disengages her hands from mine and turned them over to look at her palms. "Shishou says that while I have excellent chakra control, I don't have the stamina or reserves to do anything with it. She's got me working on a few exercises to improve my reserves, but I still get tired too easily."

"Go on."

"She's also promised to teach me the secrets of her super strength. But she says strength is useless if you can't hit your opponent."

I nod solemnly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Hokage-sama speaks with great wisdom. Hopefully one of these days, I will be so wise."

"I'm sure you will be. You're already a better ninja than me," she says a little bitterly, her emerald eyes dimming.

I want to take her into my arms and soothe away her fears. However, I know she will not accept this so I need to find another way. "Sakura-san is a great ninja and she will be even better after we start the training."

"Great! So when do we begin?" she said clapping her hands.

"Why do we not start now?" I reply flashing her my patented smile.

"What? I thought we would talk about a training schedule first."

"And so we shall, eventually. But first I need to get an idea of what specific areas we need to work on as well as your relative speed and stamina."

"That makes sense." She nods. "Okay, Lee-san, I place myself in your hands."

It is not how I really want her. But perhaps this way I can keep her.

The Uchiha who I have envied for so long has abandoned her. Perhaps she will see that I am the better man and the better ninja. He sacrificed her love for power. Something I would never, ever, do.

I want her to acknowledge that.

-------------------------------

Note:

I wanted to update this sooner. But Lee kicked my ass until I could write him properly. He is very particular that way. People probably don't think of Lee as all that envious. But he is. He even says so in the fight when he is watching Gaara and Sasuke fight. It doesn't make him any less of a ninja. In fact I think his envy drives him to prove himself so that others will be envious of him.

I like Lee.

This part is twice as long as the previous two parts put together. I can't believe it! I normally only write 100 to 200 words a day when I get the chance.

There is an over reaching story here and I hope I am doing a good job of telling it.

Story stats:  
Word Count: 1190  
Inspiration Music: Rolling Stones – You Can't Always Get What You Want  
Start date: 4/18/07  
Finish date: 4/23/07

Up next: Pride

Reviews make me write more! Oh is anyone else not getting any email alerts from fanfic dot net? I noticed that I didn't get any review alerts for last chapter but I had reviews. Is it just me?


	4. Pride: Neji

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

**Seven Deadly Nins**

By Niobe Jones

Pride: Neji

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We Hyuuga have been raised to feel pride. Pride in our Clan. Pride in our abilities. Pride in our destiny. However, for those in the Branch House, we were encouraged not to have pride in ourselves.

It made a certain amount of perverse sense. If you do not feel pride, you are less likely to rebel against a system that makes you a slave. If you do not feel pride, you are less likely to be forced to endure the pain of the curse seal. If you do not feel pride, you are less likely to die needlessly. If you did not possess pride, then you would not feel resentment.

I, obviously, did not learn this lesson well.

I was proud of what I have accomplished. I was proud of my Byakugan. I was proud of my skills.

I felt nothing but contempt for others. Especially the main house.

Strange how it took two overlooked individuals to change my outlook.

The first was one Uzumaki Naruto - the village idiot. He taught me that it wasn't pride that made people become stronger. He taught me the importance of precious people. He taught me that no one should be underestimated. He was the first to make me doubt myself and my fate. He was the first that made me re-evaluate several truths.

He beat my misplaced pride out of me and for that I am eternally grateful.

The second individual was one Haruno Sakura.

The pink-haired kunoichi from team seven. She was pathetically weak the first time I encountered her. She hadn't changed much the second time I noticed her – talking with my jounin sensei. She was still weak – but there was something different. Something I couldn't see with my Byakugan.

It intrigued me.

I observed her conversation with Lee and I felt my brow furrow. While I knew that Lee was good at Taijutsu, I also knew that he would be unable to test her abilities fully. I shifted against the tree I was leaning on into a more comfortable position to watch Haruno spar with Lee.

She wasn't completely terrible. But that was not saying much. Even Hinata-sama was better at taijutsu than this girl. But I could see something in her fluttering to get free.

It was as if her true potential were trapped within her body, like a bird batting itself against the bars of its cage.

I had weakness for releasing caged birds. I was one myself.

When she finished sparring with Lee, she flopped down on the ground panting. My teammate knelt down and patted her shoulder murmuring something to her. She gave him a weak smile before lowering her head to rest on her knees. Lee gave her shoulder a final squeeze before running away from the training grounds loudly proclaiming how he would run fifty laps around Konoha while he thought up a proper training regimen for his springtime flower.

I frowned again. I was the genius of our team. It would have been more appropriate for me to train her, not the chakra deficient Lee. I should be the one to set her free, not Lee.

Silently, I walked over to where she was sitting. She didn't even acknowledge my presence or indicate that she knew I was standing next to her. Either she didn't notice me or she was very good at hiding her reactions. I was betting on the former.

I cleared my throat and was amused to watch her shoulders twitch in alarm before she stifled the response. She looked up at me warily and I found myself pleased.

We stared at each other for several tense moments before she lost patience with the standoff.

"Is there something you wanted, Neji-san?" Her tone was properly polite, but I could sense the underlying acidity in them.

Interesting.

She knew how to play the propriety game. It was something I had been taught at an early age – to hide my contempt and anger under the veneer of civility. All Hyuuga were expected to become experts. It was another thing that Hinata had failed at.

I nodded. "I wondered what you and Lee were discussing." I already knew, of course. But this would be a good test of her character.

I could see from her expression that she didn't believe me, but she answered anyway. "Lee-san is going to help me improve my taijutsu as well as my speed and stamina."

"I see. And why choose him?"

"He's one of the best," she stated, simply.

"But not THE best. And he will not be able to fully gauge or improve your skills," I said derisively.

"Why do you say that? Is it because he isn't able to use chakra? You know he is a better shinobi without it than many are with it, right?" she asked, her eyes snapping with anger.

Her defense of my teammate was unsurprising and it also spoke of her character. "You are reading too much into my words, Haruno-san."

"So explain what you mean, then."

"I meant while he can help you improve those areas that you feel you lack, he will not be able to help you incorporate them with your other skills. Namely your ninjutsu and genjutsu. To do that you will need training with someone who is skilled in all aspects of the ninja arts. Not just taijutsu." It bothered me to explain myself, but I knew that the only way to get what I wanted was to convince her to see my viewpoint. I wasn't about to spoon feed her though.

"So what do you suggest I do? Find someone to teach me how to use all three at once?"

"Precisely," I said with a slight incline of my head.

She narrowed her eyes. "You know, Neji-san, if I didn't know better I would say that you were offering to train me. But why would the Hyuuga Prodigy waste his time on a weakling like me? So that can't be it."

"I am offering to train you."

"What! Why?"

"I'm not quite sure," I admitted. That was true. I wasn't sure exactly why my training her was so important. It just was. "Something about you has captured my interest." That was a lie. I knew what had captured my interest. I just didn't feel like revealing it to her.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered. "But I'm not sure about this."

"Why not?"

"I don't get you, Neji-san. You almost kill Hinata just because she happens to be a part of the main house. Yet at the same time, I see you as having a skewed sort of honor."

"I see." Her frank honesty surprised me momentarily. This girl seemed to be a study in contrasts one moment raging the next calm.

"No, I don't think you do," she disagreed, shaking her head. "I've seen people change and most of the time I can understand what caused it. I even know why Sasuke left, even though it hurts. But you I don't understand why you've changed. It doesn't make sense and you don't make sense."

"And it is so important for things to 'make sense?'"

"Yes."

Such a simple answer. "I see. I propose a deal – quid pro quo if you will." I knew what I had to do to get her cooperation and I was mildly surprised that I was willing to do it. I would have to meditate on this later.

"I'm listening."

"Train with me for a month's time and I will tell you what caused me to become who I am."

She looked at me assessingly before answering. "Deal. But on one condition."

"Hmmmm?" I was pretty sure I knew what the condition would be.

"You also have to tell me the real reason why you wanted to train me."

And I was correct. "I will consider it, Haruno-san," I answered. I was unwilling to commit to this because I while I knew why she captured my interest I didn't know why it was so important that **I** be the one to free her potential from its cage.

"Oh and one more thing," she continued. "Please call me Sakura. When someone says 'Haruno-san' I start looking for one of my parents."

I let a small smile cross my lips. "I will try, Sakura-san. I will see you tomorrow evening for your training."

"Hey! Don't I get a say about when?" she asked angrily.

"No," I said flatly, walking away from her to resume my training.

I could hear her bite off a curse behind me and I felt the whoosh of air as a stone sailed by my face.

"Remind me that we also need to work on improving your aim," I taunted.

"Bastard!" she yelled, hurling another stone at me.

Sidestepping the projectile, I glanced over my shoulder to take in her outraged expression and smirked. "We will also need to work on teaching you how to stifle your reactions. Showing surprise and reacting to an enemy's taunts could get you killed."

Sakura opened and closed her mouth in silent outrage. I could clearly see her processing my words as a myriad of emotions flickered behind her emerald eyes. She blinked, looking up at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Neji-san."

I smiled – she really was a study in contrasts.

---------

After only a month of my and Lee's training, I could see a definite improvement in her skills. She was training for three hours with Lee in the morning then studying with the Hokage for most of the day, finally wrapping up with three more hours of training with me.

True to my promise, I taught her how to meld all of her techniques together into one seamless style. I also would criticize her mercilessly, forcing her to keep a rein on her temper. I could tell it was difficult, however she was trying to school her emotions. She wasn't at my level of skill, of course. But she was beginning to show the potential that had beaten beneath her weak exterior.

Exactly one month after starting to teach Sakura, she confronted me. "It's time you held up your end of the bargain, Neji-san," she said, after trying to hit me with an uppercut.

I dodged out of the way – I hadn't bothered to activate my Byakugan since we were still warming up. "So it is."

She swung her leg at me which I easily caught and followed it up with a backhand. I avoided it, but was forced to release her leg to do so. She performed a few handsprings to get out of my range and looked at me. "So, are you going to tell me? Or are you going to welch on your promise."

Her insult stung my pride. "I will tell you." I relaxed my guard and motioned for her to join me under a wide oak tree.

She walked over and plopped down on the soft grass.

"Which question would you like answered first?" I asked politely after situating myself against the trunk.

"Why did you want to train me?" she replied promptly.

I groaned under my breath. I should have guessed that would have been the one she would have wanted answered first. It was also the question I was the least certain of myself – even after several hours of meditation. The conclusions I had drawn were ones I didn't want to acknowledge and went deeper than I liked. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive and confused.

Noticing that she was watching me expectantly, I sighed. "It's because I wanted to set you free." I decided to go with the least complicated answer.

"Huh? What?"

"Do not make me repeat myself," I said wearily, leaning my head back against the trunk of the tree.

"Okay," she said, drawing out the word.

She sounded confused, so I elaborated. "Your ability seemed to be trapped like a bird in cage. I wanted to set it, and you, free."

A crimson stain spread across her cheeks. "That is awfully poetic."

"You try training with Gai-sensei and Lee for over three years and see how your turn out," I muttered.

Sakura snorted. "So am I free, yet?"

"No. The door is unlatched, but it hasn't opened yet." I was purposefully talking in metaphors. It was less personal. I couldn't afford for this to become personal.

Even though I was pretty sure that is what I wanted.

The silence stretched out between us. I glanced over at her and saw her worrying at her lower lip. She was thinking about what I had said. Good.

She looked up and caught me regarding her. "What made you change, Neji."

I noticed that she had dropped the honorific. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I wasn't about to correct her. If she wanted the familiarity, then I wasn't going to argue.

Drawing another steadying breath, I closed my eyes. "I learned that everything I had based my hatred on was a lie."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I learned that my father chose to sacrifice himself for the brother he loved and not the main house that he hated. I learned that sometimes destiny can be overcome, but it means a lot of hard work and taking risks." The admission hurt, but at the same time I felt better confiding in someone.

I felt her hand reach out to take mine. It was warm and callused from years of training. And I couldn't resist turning my hand so that I was holding hers as well.

We sat that way for a long time hand in hand.

It is a memory I will forever treasure.

----------

A year later, she felt ready to take the Chuunin exams again. This time with Akamichi and Yamanaka as her teammates.

She did well. Only losing to Gaara in the finals.

When the results were announced, she leapt up in the air in her excitement. I watched as well wishers surrounded the new Chuunin – Gaara, Temari, Sakura, and Kiba. I recalled six months prior when Lee, Shino and myself had passed. She had been one of the first to congratulate me.

I approached the group and managed to extricate her from them.

She looked up at me a triumphant smile on her face. "I did it, Neji! I'm a Chuunin"

I nodded and gave her shoulder a warm squeeze. "Congratulations. I'm proud of you," I whispered, turning to walk away. "You're now set free."

I didn't miss how her eyes widened at my words and I couldn't resist smirking. It felt good to know I could still get a reaction out of her. She hadn't quite mastered that aspect of her training.

As I left the stadium, I thought back to something Hinata-sama had told me. And I muttered the saying under my breath.

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was meant to be."

I hoped that she would come back to me.

-------------------------------

Note:

Neji was one tricky bastard. He didn't want to talk to me and I had to promise all sorts of things to even get him out. I'm still not totally sure I nailed him – or Sakura for that matter – but I am proud of what I have accomplished.

Once again this is twice as long as the previous part. I still can't believe it! I don't write this much, like ever. I do my best to try to write at least 100 to 200 words a day. And I am going to stick to that until this is done. However if these things keep multiplying like this, it is going to mean that there is going to be more and more time between the updates. I already know that the sixth sin is going to be a LONG one.

Speaking of . . . Synopsis and Archchic get a cookie for figuring out that Pride was Neji. It really made the most sense to me.

Oh my god! I can't believe the number of people who have read and reviewed this story. It makes me all sorts of happy. My girlfriend was making fun of me because I would jump up every time I got the happy little notification that I had mail. It was really quite funny. I love you all!!! I'm not really sure how to do review replies – I think I did them right. But if you didn't get one, I'm sorry. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reviewing!

Story stats:

Word Count: 2500  
Inspiration Music: Frou Frou – Let Go & Lynard Skynard - Freebird  
Start date: 4/24/07  
Finish date: 5/1/07 – at 11:55pm!

Up next: Lust - my favorite sin!


	5. Lust: Gaara

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

**Seven Deadly Nins**

By Niobe Jones

Lust

------------------------------------

Her blood called to me.

I had almost tasted it when we were both twelve and at our first Chuunin exam. Pinned beneath my sand, her bones creaking from the increasing pressure, I wanted to feel her warmth spill around me. Her pain was beautiful.

It excited me.

But that Uchiha and Uzumaki had interfered, leaving my desires unsated.

I had the chance to taste her blood again over a year later, once again at the Chuunin exams. I had seen her with her new team during the first and second exams however our paths did not cross until the third exam.

There, she surprised me with her strength. She took out the weapon-throwing kunoichi from Rock Lee's team in her first match and the dog boy in her second. Neither match was spectacular, both failing to keep my interest for long. My siblings' matches were only of slightly more interest, Kankuro lost to Temari and Temari lost to me. It was amusing, more to watch the relief on their faces that I did not kill them than any technique they used.

When the examiner called our names, I admit that I was mildly surprised that my opponent was the Kyuubi's pink-haired teammate. I remembered her weakness and feel of her flesh beneath my sand.

I was not the only one who remembered; Shukaku recalled her agony as well. His desire for her death assaulted me and I forced him back into his prison. After my defeat by Uzumaki, I had no desire to let the Ichibi control me. I needed to become strong to fulfill my reason for existence as Sand's Kazekage.

To do that, I needed to prove my strength. And this weak kunoichi would not do that.

I glanced at her and noted she was watching me warily. I tilted my head slightly and she sighed.

"Gaara-san?" she asked after a moment.

"Hm?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I am not going to give up. I'm going to fight you to the best of my ability, to show that Konoha is strong."

"Your point?"

"Don't kill me, okay?"

"No." I don't make promises like that. I had a reputation to uphold, however I had no intention of killing anyone needlessly. However, she didn't need to know that.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Fine. Then I won't promise not to kill you."

I smirked at her. As if she could harm me.

"Are you done?" The bored voice of the examiner broke into our conversation.

Flicking my eyes over to him, I answered. "No."

"Well, hurry it up. The spectators are getting anxious," he muttered.

Sakura smiled at the jounin. "We're almost done. Just laying some ground rules before we fight."

"That's supposed to be my job," the examiner protested.

"What are you proposing?" I asked, ignoring the spluttering coming from the older ninja.

She smirked back at me. "Just a real test of skill. We all know that you can kill me easily."

I nodded.

"We also know that unless some miracle happens, I am not strong enough to defeat you. At least, not yet."

I inclined my head again. I was becoming intrigued in spite of myself. Any ninja who knows how they measure in relation to their opponent is one who is likely to survive to battle another day. "Continue."

"So what I propose is this: If I can land a solid hit on you, I win. If you can capture and immobilize me without killing me, you win. Sound fair?"

"No." I still had the advantage. My sand would protect me and unless she was as fast as Lee or the Uchiha she wouldn't be able to score a hit on me.

She stomped her foot. "Then what would be fair?"

"Nothing. But I agree to your terms. You will still lose, however."

"We'll see," she said, her smirk widening. Reaching into her belt pouch, she withdrew a pair of fingerless gloves and pulled them on. "You ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay," she said turning to the examiner. "You can start the match now."

---------

The match took longer than I expected, lasting for over ten minutes. She did well evading my sand while attempting to score a hit on me. She even got close once, ensnaring me with a genjutsu then attacking. However my sand protected me, like it always did.

It was a good match. But one doomed from the start. I captured her in my sand and pulled her toward me.

Her right cheek had been cut by one of her kunai thrown back at her and was bleeding slightly. I could feel my bloodlust rising.

"I believe I have won," I murmured, feeling her struggle within my sand's grasp.

She made a few more attempts to free herself, before her shoulders slumped in defeat. "You're right." She looked over to the examiner. "I give up."

The man nodded once then announced the results to the crowd.

I tuned him out, focusing on the kunoichi before me. "You did well," I offered.

She blinked and stared at me in shock. "What did you say?"

I didn't bother to respond, instead reaching a hand out to touch her cut.

She flinched away from my fingers. "What are you doing?" she whispered, her green eyes showing her trepidation.

"You are injured," I stated, reaching forward once more. "You bleed."

"I know. It stings," she said matter-of-factly. "It hurts more if you touch it."

"I see."

"Are you going to let me go?" she asked, changing the subject.

I stifled my start of surprise. While I had known that she was still confined by my sand, it hadn't penetrated that I was consciously confining her. She was trying hard to mask it, but I could tell that she was becoming more and more afraid. A year ago, I would have completely reveled in the sensation. While a part of me still basked in her fear, a greater part of me wanted something else from her.

Friendship.

I released my sand, calling it back to the gourd on my back. I watched as she unconsciously brushed her arms.

"I did not leave any grains on you," I said. "There is nothing for you to brush off."

She glanced down at her body and then back up at me. "I see. I can still feel it on me though."

"Hmph." I motioned to her cheek. "You should get that looked at."

She shook her head and gathered pale green chakra into her hands. "I can fix this myself," she replied and demonstrated, healing the wound efficiently.

Unbidden, I reached out and wiped the blood away to see the unmarred skin beneath. Her cheek was smooth and colored faintly at my touch. I couldn't help feeling smug at that.

"It was a pleasure fighting you, Haruno Sakura. I will see you again." Turning away from her, I walked out of the arena and rejoined my siblings. She intrigued me, but now was not the time to pursue that. I had other things that were more important to do.

-------------

When we met two years later, everything and nothing had changed.

She was covered in barely healed scratches and wounds, her clothes dirty and battle-worn. She looked as if she had fought several battles and had emerged the loser. And from what I could gather from the conversation around me, that very nearly was the case.

She had battled Sasori and won, with Chiyo-sama's aid. However, she had not made through unscathed. It had taken nearly all of the old woman's strength to undo the damage wrought by this battle.

It had taken the rest to revive me.

Hers was a noble sacrifice.

Watching Sakura, I realized her blood still called to me. But it was no longer Shukaku who demanded it, but instead I was the one who desired to taste her. I felt connected to her, as if there were a cord tying the two of us together.

It was an unusual sensation.

Her eyes met mine and I could see a jolt of surprise flash in the emerald depths. She felt the connection between us, I could tell. She walked over to where I lay, and settled herself next to me.

"How are you doing?"

"I will live," I stated. I reached a hand up to smooth away some of the dirt and dried blood from her cheek. "You bleed."

She mirrored my actions and replied. "So do you."

I started at her gentle touch. People did not seek contact with me, even after I became Kazekage. My siblings had warmed to me, but nevertheless they rarely touched me voluntarily.

I leant into her hand. "It hurts." It wasn't a question and I wasn't referring to my minor injuries.

Her eyes showed her understanding and she moved her hand down to twine her fingers with mine. "Yes, it does," she answered.

"How do you stop it?" I asked. I was the Kazekage. It was my right and my duty to protect the people precious to me, which encompassed the whole village of Suna. It hurt that Chiyo-sama had given her life for me. It hurt that I was the one who needed rescuing. It hurt to no longer have Shukaku a part of me.

I knew she would understand.

And she did.

Her eyes grew distant and her fingers gripped mine tighter. "I don't know," she whispered with a sad smile. "No one's ever been able to give me a good answer."

Grasping her hand, I brought it up between us so I could study it. They were callused and covered with a crisscross of scars that many ninja get. I carefully brushed away the dirt and dried blood, accidentally reopening a small cut on her index finger.

Seeing the blood ooze from her finger triggered a memory of Yashamaru and how he had explained pain to me. I looked up at her. "When I was little, my caretaker told me that time would help."

"Time helps, I guess."

"But . . ." I prompted.

She glanced over toward the group of Konoha ninja and I followed her gaze to where it rested, on her teammate, Uzumaki Naruto. "Time doesn't help everything. Sometimes it makes the pain sharper."

I nodded, that made sense. "What do you suggest?"

"Hmmm. I'm not really sure. It varies from person to person. But, sometimes, distractions can help."

"Distractions?"

"Things like training. Having fun with friends. But the only thing that will really help in the end is to heal the original injury."

"I understand," I murmured. Lifting her injured finger to my lips, I carefully sucked away the blood.

Sakura gasped and looked down at me with wide eyes. "What are you doing?"

I caught her green orbs with my own, willing her to trust me. She radiated fear, nervousness, and something else I struggled to define. I withdrew her digit from my mouth. "I am helping heal your injury."

Her eyes flashed fire. "I can heal myself."

"I was not referring to the wound on your finger. Was that not enough of a distraction?"

I felt her slump against me. "Oh."

I traced lines of scars on her hands. "Perhaps, you would be willing to help me heal as well."

She looked down at me and I could almost feel her confusion at my request. I would not beg her. But I needed someone who would understand, who I had a connection with, to keep me from descending into the darkness of madness and bloodlust.

She nodded.

I smiled in relief. "Thank you."

-----------------------

Night in Suna was a very lonely time. I knew this for the truth that it was. I had become intimately acquainted with the night during my time as Shukaku's host. Now, it was lonely without Shukaku's shrieks and whispers. The irony was not lost on me. It was still lonely at night. People still stared and kept away. But I endured. It was lonely without the Ichibi. It was lonelier, still, when Sakura was unable to be with me.

However, her absences were an unavoidable part of the agreement with the Godaime Hokage. In exchange for the presence of one Haruno Sakura two weeks a month, I, the Kazekage, agreed to provide the Leaf medic access to all of Suna's poison preparation texts and antidotes. In addition, I had to agree to send one of my siblings to Konoha for two weeks as well.

It was a fair trade, as much as I hated it. She had saved Kankuro's life and was aiding me in rebuilding my own.

From my place near the window, I looked over at the pink-haired kunoichi's slumbering form, trying to understand how she could lower her defenses enough to sleep. Even three months after Shukaku's removal, it was still a battle for me to sleep more than a few hours every couple of days. I rested easier when she was near me, but even so it was a struggle.

I chuckled softly under my breath. Who would have thought that the all powerful Subaku no Gaara, Fifth Kazekage, would need a teddy bear in the form of the Hokage's apprentice and the seemingly weakest member of the Konoha Rookie Nine.

It was almost poetic.

She stirred and her sleepy gaze caught my awake one. "Having trouble sleeping?" She rolled on her side to face me, the thin coverlet slipping from her bare shoulders.

"Yes."

"What's bothering you?" she asked, stifling a yawn.

"Nothing."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "I don't believe you. What's wrong?"

I decided to avoid the argument that would take place if I did not give her a satisfactory answer. "I don't understand how you can sleep."

"How I can sleep? Or how you are supposed to be able to?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Both."

She groaned. "Why do you always choose to have deep, meaningful conversations in the middle of the night?"

I shrugged. I could have given her several answers, but none of them would satisfy her. Instead, I said nothing.

"I don't know how I can sleep, I just do," she said a few moments later. "My body says 'I'm tired' and starts shutting down so I can sleep."

"My body doesn't tell me that. It's been trained not to."

"Then retrain it."

I snorted. "I do not believe it will be that easy."

"I didn't say it would be easy, but you can do it. The worthwhile things are never easy."

She had a point. "And sleep is worthwhile?"

"Is that a question?"

"Yes."

She nodded. "It is. All medical aspects aside, it allows your mind to sort through and categorize what's happened to you. Sleep keeps you sane."

"Interesting choice of words," I said with a small smile.

She didn't say anything to me, but instead let her lips quirk mischievously.

"Do you have nightmares?" I asked, continuing with the subject.

"Of course."

"How do you deal with them?"

"Normally, I try to change them as soon as I realize that I am in the middle of one. Dispel it. Make it go away."

"I don't understand."

"Nightmares are like genjutsu. They can really mess with you and cause you to lower your defenses. But normally when you figure out you are trapped in one, all it takes is a little something to disrupt it and the whole thing falls apart."

"Example?"

"When I was little, I used to be horribly afraid of spiders. I used to dream of them crawling all over me and into my mouth." She shivered in revulsion. "It got so bad that I would wake up with bloody scratches on my arms from where I had tried to get them off in my sleep."

"What did you do?"

"I learned to recognize the start of that dream. Whenever the spider nightmare would start, I would switch it to another dream. One I liked better."

"How?"

"I would change a few key details, like make them crawl all over my enemies, and that would normally be enough to keep the nightmare from ever getting any worse."

"Does it work all the time?"

Her face darkened and she shook her head. "No. It doesn't. Some nightmares you can't get rid of that easily."

I wanted to ask her what kind. But from what she had told me of her confrontation with her former teammate, I could hazard a guess.

She yawned again and rolled on to her back to stretch. "Do you have nightmares, Gaara? Is that why you can't sleep?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"I wondered," she murmured. "Come here. I don't think Suna would appreciate seeing the Kazekage in all of his glory."

I pushed myself away from the window and walked over to the bed, settling myself next to her taking in her form. She was pale in the moonlight and my eyes were immediately drawn to a dark mark marring her skin.

Her eyes followed my movements, but she didn't say anything.

I traced the crescent shaped bite on her shoulder. "You bleed," I murmured.

"It's okay. It doesn't bother me."

"But I have caused you pain."

She shook her head. "Not really. Besides you didn't mean to, and I really didn't mind at the time." She smiled up at me. "I also know a way to kill two birds with one stone."

"What do you mean?"

She reached up and drew my head down towards hers, until we were only a few inches apart. "I mean, I know a way to help you fight those pesky nightmares you've been having as well as a way for me to get even for biting me earlier," she whispered, huskily and pulled me down to meet her lips.

I felt my heart race as she deepened the kiss and my hand slipped from her shoulder to cradle her face.

I pulled back from her to stare down at her. She was not beautiful, but her features intrigued me. I let my hand trace her face gently moving from her cheek to smooth over lips.

She drew my index finger into her mouth and sucked on it swirling her tongue about the tip. I groaned as I imagined her doing that to another part of my anatomy. Looking down at her, I could see the triumph in her eyes as well as the growing desire.

However, I was in no mood to rush things. I wanted to savor this moment. I wanted to create a memory strong enough to banish the blood and death filled nightmares.

I pulled my finger from her mouth and leant down to give her a tender kiss. "Please, just let me . . ." I trailed off, unable to put into words my desire.

Her expressive eyes conveyed her understanding and I stifled a sigh in relief. Subaku no Gaara does not sigh. I continued my exploration of her face, tracing up her other cheek to run my fingers over her eyebrows and eyelids.

The trust that she showed me by closing her eyes under my ministrations warmed me more than her body. She trusted me not to hurt her, not to kill her. That one simple thing made me feel less of a monster than any of my siblings' or her words ever could.

I dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. Her eyes snapped open and I couldn't resist a chuckle. She had a major hang up over the size of her forehead and it amused me that she would let such a trivial thing bother her.

She scowled at me and opened her mouth as if to berate me, but I put a finger to her lips to stop her.

Continuing my ministrations, I bent down and covered her face with little butterfly kisses. At the same time, my hand moved from her lips to stroke down her neck. I followed the curve to her shoulder feeling the muscles relax beneath my fingers.

I sat back up and looked down at her. She wasn't flushed just yet, but her breath was coming slightly quicker. I brought my other arm up and started tracing patterns down her chest, careful to avoid her breasts.

Her skin fascinated me with her little scars and calluses. It was so completely unlike my own. My sand still protected me, even after Shukaku's extraction, and I never needed to use taijutsu so my skin was still smooth, a blank canvas. Hers painted the true story of shinobi life and I worshipped the tale it told.

My hands stopped their movements as I dipped my head to lave my over one specific scar – a long thin line that started just under her jaw and ran into her hair line. She refused to tell me how she had gotten the mark, only saying that the person who did it was dead. I approved of that.

I nibbled and licked down her throat to the bite mark I had put there earlier. I gently kissed it and looked up at her. "I am sorry I hurt you."

"I told you before, I don't mind," she whispered.

Pressing another kiss to the mark, I maneuvered myself so that my face hovered over her chest. Her nipples were already partially erect and I bent down and captured one in my mouth. I rolled the bud with my tongue and lightly sucked on it.

She gasped and arched into my mouth. One hand reached up and lightly caressed her side, the underside of her other breast, her breastbone. Carefully, I began to spiral inward toward her areola, while my teeth grazed her other nipple.

"Gaara . . ." she trailed off.

I lifted my head to smile up at her. "What do you want?" I asked and slid my hand down her side to rest on her hip.

She looked up at me and her hands smoothed themselves over my shoulders. "You. I want you."

A surge of triumph welled up in me and I maneuvered my body over hers until I was positioned at her entrance. She nodded once and I slipped into her. In that instant, I felt safe, complete and home.

I had not intended for us to become lovers but when it had happened I was not displeased. Nor do I think was she.

We both knew that this affair would soon have to come to an end. She had her duties and her vow to retrieve a certain Uchiha. And I was the Kazekage, politics would not allow for more. Her heart would always belong to Konoha and mind to Suna.

But for now, I would take what I had been given and enjoy the taste of her body and her blood.

It was what I had always lusted after.

-------------------------------

Note:

I admit this is my inner fangirl coming to life. I adore Gaara/Sakura fics and I needed to write one for myself. I've always been interested with how her protection of Sasuke caused him to flashback to the one person he cared about and who betrayed him. It is one hell of a leap in logic. I'm not totally happy with this, I think because I kept coming up with scenes and plot for a Gaara/Sakura fic in and of itself and I wanted to save them for that potential fic. I don't know when that will happen, because I plan on finishing this fic first.

A lot of people, my girlfriend included, argued that Gaara didn't fit the sin of lust. I disagree. Gaara shows different kinds of lust. Bloodlust and a minor lust for power, to name two. I could also see him as being very sensual and passionate underneath his exterior. He feels things more than Sasuke, the series' other brooding boy.

I am a little sorry for the wait. But not so much. I've been really upfront that I only write about 100 to 200 words a day if I am lucky. I wasn't lucky. I've been moved to the swing shift, which where I work means I fill in for the people who have those days off and if I want 40 hours, or more, a week I end up working a lot of different hours. If you want to know more about what's been going on, read my Livejournal. Author's notes aren't the place to go into it.

Lust got a lot of people guessing who it was. The winners of the guess the sin were -- EvilFaerie17, Vesperchan, Skyward, & Synopsis. Although pretty much all four hedged their bets. I gave you the benefit of the doubt.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my reviewers!

Story stats:  
Word Count: 3810  
Inspiration Music: Bare Naked Ladies – Lovers in Dangerous Times & - U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.  
Start date: 5/7/07  
Finish date: 6/25/07 – main part. 9/1/07 edited part.

Up next: Sloth - I think we all know who this is going to be!


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